Nomination Form
Built in 1882 to serve the African American community of Josephine City, this plain two-room structure is a rare example of a Reconstruction-era schoolhouse for blacks and is a testament to the early efforts of Clarke County’s blacks to improve their educational facilities. The building was erected with contributions of labor and money from the local black citizenry and was one of only seven African American schools in Clarke County at the time. It served as an elementary school until 1930 when it was moved a short distance to make way for the new Clarke County Training School. The building was then converted into the home economics cottage and used thusly until 1971 when it was given over to storage. Currently the building is owned by Clarke County and held in a long-term lease by the Josephine School Community Museum Board, which has restored the building for its current use as an African American museum and cultural center.
Many properties listed in the registers are private dwellings and are not open to the public, however many are visible from the public right-of-way. Please be respectful of owner privacy.
Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark
Nomination Form
Programs
DHR has secured permanent legal protection for over 700 historic places - including 15,000 acres of battlefield lands
DHR has erected 2,532 highway markers in every county and city across Virginia
DHR has registered more than 3,317 individual resources and 613 historic districts
DHR has engaged over 450 students in 3 highway marker contests
DHR has stimulated more than $4.2 billion dollars in private investments related to historic tax credit incentives, revitalizing communities of all sizes throughout Virginia
